Piano case



Aug. 13, 1963 c. w. ANDERSEN 3,100,415

PIANOCASE Original Filed Oct. 14, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L; at @2252 1 J94 C- W. ANDERSEN Aug. 13, 1963 PIANO CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 14, 1955 47195 fgz51L J55 are IN VEN TOR. 516%; flame/m This. invention is concerned with the musical arts, particularly withan elect-nonic piano, and mostspecifically with acase therefore- This application is a division of my copending app1ication,'Serial No. 540,530, filed October 14, 19 55, and now abandoned. v V

'Ihe pianoforte, or piano, as, itis generally termed, is an extremely popular musical instrumentand is found substantially throughout the civilized world. The piano in its conventional term is quite large and heavy. 7 Consequently, it is difficult to move a conventional piano, and

' apiano generally is limited to use in first floorflocations,

generally in the largest room in the house. This canbe extremely undesirable from the standpoint of the student or. casual pianist, and al-sofrom the standpoint of other personsoccupying the sameilresidence.

As a result, it has beenproposedfthat the size and weight of a piano be reduced by the provision 10f an electronic piano. It is known thata tuned reedfhaving an electrical potential applied to it and vibrated near a conductive member williform with that member aivariable capacitor giving rise to. anel'ectrical oscillation which can be translated into a musical tone. J11. have found that when such a reediis percussively actuated, remarkably. realistic piano tones can be produced if the various elements .of the electronic piano arefproper'ly correlated,

and-.Qthe 1electrical, oscillationsgenerated are properly amplified-and converted into audio oscillations. [This invention" is concerned with type.

It is an an electronic pianooffthis object of thisinvention o providea case 't'or an electronic pianmwh'ereinthe sides and 'back of the.

case comprise a single sectionoffrnolded plywood, this section being mounted on abotto'm hr base, and atop;

orcover jbeing detachably mounted-thereon;

Another objectof. this'vinvention' isito provide an im-' proved detachable leg construction wherein the legs can be stored in thefcase for ready transportationof the 'entire piano. a

More specifically,"it is an object of this invention to provide an electronic piano of a portable nature wherein the piano legs are detachable from the case and are carriedbeneath the fall cover.

Other andfurther objects and-advantages of the pres ent invention willbe apparent from thefollowing description when taken in connection with the accompanyin g drawings wherein:

"United SEES Pa fi w 3,100,415 Patented Aug. 13, 1963 FIG. 7 is an enlarged"fragmentary vertical sectional 7 view taken substantially alongth'e line 7--7 of FIG. 4;

and p f LQFIG. 8 is an upwardlylooking horizontal sectional view taken substantially along theline 8-,8 of FIG. 7.. Reference now should be had. to FIGS.v 1 and-Z for a'descripti'on of a piano case indicated generally by the numeral 32. [ItJWillbe seen that the ends 1 38 and the back .1140 of the case are, made of a single sheet of. plywood molded generally in accordance with conventional practices. The plywood sheet comprising the ends and back rests on top of a bottom 142, also formed of plywood, and of the same outline as the back and ends. The back and ends are glued to the bottom .142, and preferably also are secured with small nails or screws. The forward corners of the ends 138 are cut down or relieved as is indicated at 144 to provide end clearance to accommodate a main rail, not shown.

for the keyboard. It will' be appreciated that if the corners were not so cut down, the pianist might feel confined or boxed in. 1 a

- Blocks 62 are secured to the vopposite'end pieces to rest on the bottom 142. j The blocks 68 are gluedv to the ends and tothe bottom, and also are secured to theends by means of wood screws 146. Besides providing a mount for a reed bar 'assembly, not shown, these blocks;

also help to reinforce the; joint of the caseas will be appreciated. Blocks 91 are similarly secured to the ends of the case by gluing, and also by means of wood screws 1 1'48 The upper corners of the blocks 91are relieved on the front edges thereof as will. be seen at 150 In addition totheyforegoing block-s, therealso are blocks 15-2 securedto the ends near thef-ronts thereof which serve as filler -;blocks at the opposite ends of the keyboard and whichnalsoisupp'ort the fallboard assembly at the cor-.

ners thereofYas hereinafter. will be apparent: In .ad-

dition to the' aforementioned blocks, there is a pair of cleats-i154 :as'ecured to thejends lfitl parallel to the top edges :thereof and spaced slightly down from the top edges. A long cleat v15; lying in the same plane as the q cleatsfi15 4 extends along the inner surface oft-he back 1'40 spaced down somewhat from the top thereof. These i -"Dhel blocks 68 are predrilled at their tops as is indi- 1:54 and 156' 21B drilled as at 166 for receipt of'wood FIG. 1 is an explodedperspective vievv of theparts ofi a piano case n;

in assembled relation; V p v V V F lG..3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the front portion of' the piano, particularly the fall cover and,

assembly as taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG.Z;

FIG. 4a: view generally similar to h s" but taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.; V FIG. 5 is an oblique upward view beneath the. fall cover as taken substantially along the line 5-5 of 'FIG. 3; 0

.FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectionallview takenjsub stantiallyalong the lingo- 6 ohm G l p constructed ingaccfopdance with the j inven FI l 2 is a per-spective 'view'of thepa-rtsof thecasej c'leats ar'e glued to the inside of the case, and also preferably iare secured with nails or screws. The cleats 154 and 156 serve to support the top 158 which nests within the ends 138 and back 140.

cated at 160 forreceipt of the wood screws mounting the reed bar assembly. In addition, the top portions of the blocks 91 are 'horizontallywdrilled as at 162 before assembly with the case for receipt of bolts that secure the main rail to the blocks 91. Preferably the cleats screws 'passed through apertures 168 in the top 158.

These "wood sciews preferablyhave bevelled heads, and

the apertures 168are bevelledlor countersunk for re ceipt of these heads.

The-back 140 of the case is provided with a plurality of horizontal slots forming a louver 170 behind which a" loud-speaker 48 is mounted, the louver'pasirig sound from the front of the loud-speaker as will be understood.

A' somewhat similar louver 172 is provided in the top 158 substantially directly abovethe loud-speaker. 'Ihis louver helps to control back loading of the loud-spealier, andalso provides a path forsound from the backside of the speaker cone which is of diiferent length thanthe path from thefront. It has been found that the louver 172 in the top eliminates substones. An additional pair:

of louvers 174 andj176 is found in the back and top respectively. adjacent'the opposite end. from the first mentioned louvers. These louvers provide ventilation tar;

is provided a rectangular opening 1-76 in the ,left end fo'r'alig'nment with, the 'panel '50 hearing the various controls and pilot'light, and there is a circular opening 178 adjacent the center of the back 140 for receipt ofv a detachable connector fora line cord to, connect the Q 7 piano to an electrical outlet.

The undersideof the top 158 is provided near the front inclined tear or inner edges; The fallboard 184 of the fallboard assembly rests with itstwo lower corners in the-outouts'or notches 182 whilethe upper edge thereof a the amplifierwhich is mounted adjacent them, and also if a provide a balanced appearance gforthe' piano. In adf dition to the foregoing apertures in the piano case, there thereof with" a cleat 180- having a bevelled trontsiirface. The upper rear corners of the'filler blocks 152 are prioxidedwith notches or cutouts 182 having bevelled or fitsfibeneath the top 158 and rests against the front of the cleat 180. A plurality of wood screws fits through some of the apertures 168 along the front edge of the top and is threaded into suitableopenings in the top of the fallboard 184. Preferably, the' -falelboard is predlrilled for receipt of these screws. The fallboard carries a tray 7 :1816'on which music rests!" ln additionto the foregoingpants, the piano case includes a removable fallboai'dc'over 188 which will be described in detail shortly hereinafter. The "fallboard cover 188=overlies the keyboard and fall board assembly when it isdesired totransport the piano and it iszheld in place by suitcase-type (fasteners 190 hav lug-cooperating halves on the'cover and on the top 158., and also on the cover and on {the ends 138. I

- When the parts are generally in the condition shown in FIG. 1, that'is the ends and back are assembled with the bottom, and also with a front piece or riser 190, the various blocks and cleats being afiixed in place, but the the loud-speaker 48 not yet being mounted, the cleat 180 being mounted on the top 158', the tray 186 being mounted on the fallboard 184, and the various parts of the fall cover- 188 being assembled as hereinafter will be described, the parts are sprayed with a lacquer. The lacquer covers the. outside of the case, and also preferably (covers the inside and providesa tough finish-which is substantiallyimarproof and which also is substantially water proof. Legs 42 also are'sprayed with the same lacquer vvto provide the legs with a pleasing appearance, and

with" a finish which is substantially marproof and water'- proof. 1

3 Referringnow in greater particularity to the cover: 188,. and in this regard reference should be had also to FIGS. 3-6, itwill be seen that thefall' cover 188 comprises a top 192, a front 194 butted against the top, and

a pair of end pieces 196 butted against thetop and front.

These parts of the fall cover are glued together, and also preferably are secured with nails or screws. It will 'be appreciated that the'top, front, and end of the fall cover are complementary to the corresponding parts of the case as heretofore idescribedto provide arectangular front- A oleat or reinforcing bar or rib 198 lies along the junction of the top and cfront along section for the case.

the-inner portion thereof'to reinforce the joint, the top and front being glued, and naailed to this cleat.

At the opposite ends of the fall cover there is provided a pair of diagonally disposed, wooden mounting blocks 200 which are gluedto the ends, and which also are set. cured by screws 202. Inaddition, the wooden mounting blocks 200 are provided with inserted metalsleeves 208 havinginternal threads. These sleeves are designed to receive the threaded studs 204 (see also FIGSJI' and 8) extending from the ends of the legs 42'. These studs 204 are threaded a substantial distance into the legs at the upper ,ends'thereof, and the upper ends of the legs are provided with metal ferrules 2tl6 to provide an ornaf mental appearance and positively. to prevent'splitting of theupper ends of the legs. The lower ends ofthe' legs also are provided with metal tectthesame,

preferably also screwed or tips of ferruIesZO-B to prof l i Adjacent .the center of the fall cover 188 there is provided'a'br'ace or rest zlotaving aiscalloped lowersur? The entire lower surface including the semicircular recesses is lined I faceproviding tour semicircular recesses.

with felt as indicated at 212 and the semicircular recesses are designed to receive the legs 42 when they have the studs 204 at the upper ends thereof threaded into the metal sleeves 203. A-fleirible strap 213' is secured at one end as at 214 permanently to the brace pr support 2 18, V V

and at the other end is connected by means such as a snap fastener 216 to this brace ,or support whereby the legs can be held tightly up'against the feltlined semicircular recesses,

In accordance withithe foregoing; the entire piano can be carried as a unit semewnar resembling an oversized suitcase, the legs being stored beneath the fall cover 1 as readily may be" seen in the dash lines in, FIG. 2. 1A handle 218 is provided on th'e'fr'ont'of .a fall. cover for carrying the piano, and this handle preferably isfflexibly connected tothe fall coverjforf ease in carrying The. backuoff thepianio case is providedwith a plurality of wooden' cleat 's, 'iiot shown, serving as" feet on which the: ca'sernay be r'ested whenit is carried by means of the h'andle218. 'It will be understood that these cleats pf r-- erably area'pplied before the lacquer is sprayed onjthe ease;

plate 222, conveniently of triangula'r outline, is mounted on the underside of the case near each corner thereof' by' means of machine screws n t/threaded into1 T-nuts 22 61 in the case. M Each plate 222 is provided with a central" a'hg ula'rly' disposedlsection 228, preferably of circular outline, and each section 228 is' provided with a'central bore 230 which is threaded for receipt" of the studf204 of the corresponding leg 42. T e angular disposition of the plate sections 228anglesthe piano'legsfl2 outwardly as best may be seen in FIG. {for improved stabilityand I more pleasingappe rance. It willbe unders tood that thei'lthreaded connection just described provides a peaveiiient and readily operable detachable connection ofthe legs to the piano ease.

The specifieexamples hereinshown and described are 'tdbe understood as being for illustrative purposes only,

Vat-ions changes in structure will no doubtoccur to those skilled in the artfand such chang'es are it) be understood as coining within thescope ofthe inventioninsofar as they fall withinthepurview of the appended claims.

The'invention isclaiih'ed as follows:

I major dimension along the width of said case and a minor dimensiofi'froi'ri front-to-baek of said case, said case fur ther, having a peripheral wall having a predetermined heightless fhan either dimensionof the top and bottomv walls; said fall cover covering said keyboard with the upper portion of said fall cover substantially coplanar with theto'p surface of the remainder of. the case and a the under surface of-said upper portions spaced above said keyboard, said fall cover including a top panel form.-' l ing 'a part of said top wall, a front panel'forming apart of said peripheral'wall, and a'pai'r of opposite end panels interconneotingsaid topandfront panels, and forming] parts of saidperipheral wall fastener means detachably securing said fall cover to the remainder of said 'c'ase;;a pluralityofleg's' theaxialdim-ension of which is less than themajor dimension of s aid'fall cover; threaded fasten iii-g means at one end ofeaoh, or said legs; complementary threaded fastening means on saidcaseb'ottomwall for The means by which the legs 42am mounted Orr-.1116" piano case is shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 7 and 8. A metal detachably mounting said legs in depending relationship to said case for'supporting said case; threaded fastening means at opposite ends of said fall coveron the inside of said end panels forsecuring some of said legs at one end of said fall cover and the remainder of said legs at the other end of said tall cover in partially overlapping relationship with the first mentioned legs;'means intermediate'the ends of said fall cover for securing the overlapping portions of said legs; and a handle secured to said peripheral wall and of a size to be graspedby the hand for carrying of said case in depending position from said handle. a

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the intermediate securing means comprise a member having a plurality of recesses therein, each of said recesses receiving one of said legs, and a flexible member overlying said recesses and holding said legs in said recesses.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein the inter-mediate securing means member is triangular in shape tions of the remainder of the peripheral wall being complementary thereto.

6. A portable piano comprising: a relatively wide case of suitcase-like configuration; said case being relatively wide and deep side-to-side and front-to-back and relatively low from top to bottom when in horizontal play- 7 ing position, said case comprising similar substantially rectangular top and bottom walls having a major dimension along the width of said case and a "minor dimension from tront-to-back of said case, said case further having a peripheral wall having a predetermined height less than either dimensionof the top and bottom walls; a plurality of legs detachably secured at their upper ends to the bottom wall of said case to depend therefrom for supporting said case; a keyboard at the front end of said case; a fallboard extending across said case above the inner portion of said keyboard, said case peripheral wall providing a pair of sidewalls of height substantially higher than said keyboard, said sidewalls being relieved at the front corners thereof adjacent said fallboard and said keyboard for avoiding obstruction at the ends of said keyboard, the relieved portions having top edges extending substantially horizontally for a substantial distance from the front of said case back toward said fiallboard; a box-like fall cover overlying said keyboard and having a front wall forming a part of said peripheral wall and a top portion substantially coterminous therewith substantially coplanar with and forming a portion of the top wall of said case, said fall cover further having end members forming a part of said peripheral wall and joined to said front wall and top portion and complementary to said case sidewalls, said end members being spaced apart a'greater distance than the height of said legs and having fittings on the inner portions thereof detachably receiving said legs, some of said legs being received at one end of said fall cover and some at the other end with said legs 'in partially overlapping relationship, said fall cover having intermediate support means for supporting the overlapped legs; fastener means detachably securing said fall cover to said case; and a handle secured tosaid case peripheral wall and of a size to be grasped by one hand for carrying of said case in depending relation from said handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 367,073 Steck July 26, 1887 433,801 Meyer Aug. 5, 1890 473,308 Fischer Apr. 19, 1892 1,154,692 Dehullu Sept. 28, 1915 1,709,406 Pond Apr. 16, 1929 2,483,106 Santley et al. Sept. 27, 1949 2,494,700 Gage Ian. 17, 1950 2,505,806 Stein May 2, 1950 2,527,816 Herlache Oct. 31, 1950 2,583,532 Havens Jan. 29, 1952 

1. IN A PORTABLE PIANO, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A PIANO CASE OF SUITCASE-LIKE CONFIGURATION HAVING A KEYBOARD AND HAVING A FALL COVER MOVABLE RELATIVE TO THE REMAINDER OF SAID CASE, SAID CASE INCLUDING SAID FALL COVER BEING RELATIVELY WIDE AND DEEP SIDE-TO-SIDE AND FRONT-TOBACK AND RELATIVELY LOW FROM TOP TO BOTTOM WHEN IN HORIZONTAL PLAYING POSITION, SAID CASE COMPRISING SIMILAR SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS HAVING A MAJOR DIMENSION ALONG THE WIDTH OF SAID CASE AND A MINOR DIMENSION FROM FRONT-TO-BACK OF SAID CASE, SAID CASE FURTHER HAVING A PERIPHERAL WALL HAVING A PREDETERMINED HEIGHT LESS THAN EITHER DIMENSION OF THE TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS; SAID FALL COVER COVERING SAID KEYBOARD WITH THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID FALL COVER SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR WITH THE TOP SURFACE OF THE REMAINDER OF THE CASE AND WITH THE UNDER SURFACE OF SAID UPPER PORTIONS SPACED ABOVE SAID KEYBOARD, SAID FALL COVER INCLUDING A TOP PANEL FORMING A PART OF SAID TOP WALL, A FRONT PANEL FORMING A PART OF SAID PERIPHERAL WALL, AND A PAIR OF OPPOSITE END PANELS INTERCONNECTING SAID TOP AND FRONT PANELS AND FORMING PARTS OF SAID PERIPHERAL WALL; FASTENER MEANS DETACHABLY SECURING SAID FALL COVER TO THE REMAINDER OF SAID CASE; A PLURALITY OF LEGS THE AXIAL DIMENSION OF WHICH IS LESS THAN THE MAJOR DIMENSION OF SAID FALL COVER; THREADED FASTENING MEANS AT ONE END OF EACH OF SAID LEGS; COMPLEMENTARY THREADED FASTENING MEANS ON SAID CASE BOTTOM WALL FOR DETACHABLY MOUNTING SAID LEGS IN DEPENDING RELATIONSHIP TO SAID CASE FOR SUPPORTING SAID CASE; THREADED FASTENING MEANS AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID FALL COVER ON THE INSIDE OF SAID END PANELS FOR SECURING SOME OF SAID LEGS AT ONE END OF SAID FALL COVER AND THE REMAINDER OF SAID LEGS AT THE OTHER END OF SAID FALL COVER IN PARTIALLY OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FIRST MENTIONED LEGS; MEANS INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF SAID FALL COVER FOR SECURING THE OVERLAPPING PORTIONS OF SAID LEGS; AND A HANDLE SECURED TO SAID PERIPHERAL WALL AND OF A SIZE TO BE GRASPED BY THE HAND FOR CARRYING OF SAID CASE IN DEPENDING POSITION FROM SAID HANDLE. 